Happy Birthday Gary Carter!!!!

Had it not been for a player named Johnny Bench, Gary Carter may be considered the best catcher in baseball history. In this case, 2nd place is not too bad of a spot to be in when you’re behind one the greatest players in major league history.

Gary Carter brought a level of offensive and defensive consistency to the catching position for 19 seasons. An 11-time All-star, Carter was the team leader during his days with the Montreal Expos and New York Mets. His solid offensive play, highlighted by winning 5 Silver Slugger awards, and his dominant defense in which he won 3 Gold Gloves established him as one of the most complete players during the 1970’s and into the 1980’s. With a career batting average of .262, Carter captured 2,092 hits during his playing days. And with 324 homers, 1,225 RBI, and 1,025 runs scored, Carter provided punch to the offense that was rare from the catcher’s position during those times. Due to the rarity of this kind of production by a catcher, Gary Carter finished in the Top 17 for the MVP award 7 times during his career.

Gary Carter played in 1 World Series match-up in 1986 and his New York Mets won the title in 7 games. During that series, Carter batted .276 while hitting 2 home runs and knocking in an amazing 9 runs.